After setting his career-best 127 through 36 holes on the strength of a 63-64 start at the 3M Open, Lee Hodges (1st/-20) offset two bogeys with two birdies to make the turn with an even-par 35. On the inward nine, he added birdies at 10, 11, 13, 16 and 18 to sign for a 5-under 66.
His 193 marks the tournament’s 54-hole scoring record, previously held by Scott Piercy (195/2022).
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The only other occasion he held a 54-hole lead/co-lead on the PGA TOUR resulted in a T3 at the 2022 American Express.
Hodges entered the week at No. 74 in the FedExCup standings, 15 points behind No. 70 (K.H. Lee); top 70 after next week’s Wyndham Championship advance to the Playoffs; projected to move to No. 33 with a win.
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In his only previous 3M Open appearance, finished T16 in 2022.
Is seeking a third top-10 finish in his 30th PGA TOUR start this season (T7/THE CJ CUP in SC, T6/Valero Texas Open).
Hodges looks to improve on his career-best TOUR finish of T3 at the 2022 American Express.
Qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs in his rookie season on TOUR (2021-22), finishing No. 76 in the FedExCup standings.
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Making his third start in the 3M Open (T28/2021, T11/2022), JT Poston (2nd/-15) posted a 5-under 66 for the third consecutive round; his only two bogeys through 54 holes came at Nos. 3 and 16 in round one; began this week after netting T6 finishes in two of his last three starts at the John Deere Classic and the following week’s Genesis Scottish Open; finished T41 at last week’s Open Championship.
As the defending champion and highest ranked player in the FedExCup, Tony Finau is solo third at 14-under 199 in his bid to become the fourth player this season to successfully defend a title on TOUR this season and first since Scottie Scheffler (WM Phoenix Open).
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With improved scores each round, Aaron Baddeley (4th/-13) followed opening rounds of 69-66 with a 6-under 65 in Round 3; best finish in three previous 3M Open starts was T23 in his first start of the 2019-20 season; began this week on the heels of two missed cuts (Genesis Scottish Open, Barracuda Championship).
Following a double-bogey at the par-4 ninth, Sam Ryder (T5/-12) birdied seven of his last nine holes, including five straight on Nos. 14-18 to tie the back nine record of 7-under 29 and sign for a 6-under 65; began this week’s event at No. 69 in the FedExCup.
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On the strength of six birdies and three pars on the front nine, Chinese Taipei native Kevin Yu (T11/-10) tied his lowest 9-hole score on the PGA TOUR with a 29 (R1/2023 Travelers Championship); is the sixth player to shoot 29 on the front nine at TPC Twin Cities and first since Kevin Chappell (R2/2022).
